


Beard

by nerdybloomers



Series: 120 Drabble Challenge [10]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Backstory, Canon Compliant, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Headcanon Fodder, I Thought Of This While Showering, M/M, Victuuri but it's not the main focus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 10:44:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9178204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdybloomers/pseuds/nerdybloomers
Summary: Yakov tells Viktor that he hopes he will never need a beard; for the next fourteen years, Viktor wonders what facial hair had to do with fulfilling his dreams.An exploration of a headcanon about Yakov, and his relationships with Lilia and Viktor over time.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Fulfills prompt #98: We'll Cross That Bridge Someday, in my prompt challenge over here on dA: http://shibaayame.deviantart.com/art/120-Prompt-Challenge-250678524

Viktor remembers coming to live with Yakov and Lilia at the age of eleven. It’s early spring, and there’s still a bite in the air as he lugs his half-his-height suitcase over the threshold. He’s young, but not so young that he doesn’t understand the opportunity laid out before him: to not only train under possibly the greatest coach that Russia has ever known, but to learn from his retired-Bolshoi prima wife. He knows that they are meant to teach him, not to parent him; but this grandly-decorated house feels like home already.

With two years until his junior debut, Lilia gets the first crack. She is known for destroying would-be stars of dance in Moscow, after clawing her way to the top of the company and staying afloat until her retirement. Viktor worries that his meager experience with ballet would result in harsh punishment, but he knows there is a side to her that aches to be around children, and so she is not as merciless as she could be.

His theory of Lilia’s softness around the edges is disproven at fourteen, the year after he debuts within the ISU. Late fall pushes the sun down behind the horizon far too early in the day, and the chill picks up in the air. Viktor remembers passing his mentors’ bedroom with the door ajar - he’d never been permitted inside, so curiosity pulls at him to sneak up to the crack in the frame - and sees two beds on opposite sides of the room, and Lilia’s chestnut hair cascading down her shoulder in rippling waves as she cries.

He’s intruding on a private moment, and he knows it. Viktor only hears bits and pieces, mostly Yakov, thanking her for being by his side all these years, something about keeping up appearances, and a promise of enduring friendship. And then Lilia is reaching for Yakov’s throat - no, thank God, just his chin, running her fingers along his squared jaw. Her face advertises a feeling of goodbye, and she stands with ever-present grace to cross to the door, nightgown flowing around her like a cloud.

She hugs Viktor on her way out. Something’s wrong, he’s sure, but he can’t pinpoint what it is. It takes him a few moments to realize that Yakov is calling his name and motioning for him to come into the bedroom, to come over to one of the beds - Yakov’s bed, he seems sure without confirmation, and he sits on the unfamiliar sheets.

“Vitya,” the old man starts, the nickname sounding like gravel in his throat. “You are lucky. You are too young to remember the fall of the curtain. The world is out there for your taking, and you live in an age where you could actually have it all.” He sighs, deep and heavy, and drops a hand onto the boy’s shoulder. “Next year, you will graduate to seniors. You will be tempted of many things, as I was at your age. Work hard, and live with discretion, and the world will lay under your skates.

“And one last thing, Vitya, before you head off to sleep,” and Viktor looks up at his steel-willed coach with wide eyes. This evening has been surprise after surprise, and Viktor only understands a little of it. “Vitya, you will never need a beard. Promise me that you will do all that I could not.”

Silver brows furrow. Viktor isn’t sure what facial hair has to do with achieving his dreams, but he promises anyway.

 

-

 

The wedding reception is elegant and small, and the newlyweds find themselves saying thanks and goodbyes to the older crowd earlier than they anticipated. Yakov and Lilia still look like a handsome couple standing next to each other, longstanding friendship rekindled, although Viktor knows that there is no romance between them now. He’s never seen any indicators of romance between them before the divorce, either, which is surprising every time he thinks about it - he can’t keep himself from fawning over Yuuri, so quieter love doesn’t make sense to him.

There is a smile in Yakov’s eyes when the septuagenarian claps down on Viktor’s shoulder, higher than his own now that gravity is forcing his old bones down. “Vitya,” he begins, and all at once Viktor is fourteen again, drinking from the fountain of cryptic sage advice that his old coach sometimes spills out. “I’m glad that you never needed a beard.”

Lilia stifles a laugh into her hand, mirth dancing in her cheeks. “Not that us beards can be all that bad,” she adds, and she shares a knowing glance with her ex-husband.

Realization hits Viktor like a freight train. It’s never been about facial hair. And once again, the people closest to him never fail to surprise him, even the ones he used to live with. The separate beds, the lack of public affection between the two of them, it all suddenly makes sense. He’s not sure whether he should go in for the hug, but he does anyway, around the both of them.

In many ways, they are family, and he sees the relief wash over Yakov’s face as he watches his oldest son live the life he wishes he could have had. But he doesn’t regret it, and instead treasures the time he spent married to his best friend.

 

-

 

The following summer, Viktor confesses that he hadn’t known the truth behind Lilia and Yakov’s relationship up until the wedding. The old man is surprised. “Hadn’t you figured it out when you saw our bedroom? You were a bright boy. We thought you heard the rumors.”

Viktor sets his coffee down and brushes his bangs out of his eyes. “What rumors?”

“The ones about me.” Yakov sighs. “Talk was going around that I was taking advantage of our student-coach relationship. Lilia had agreed to marry me decades prior - she had never wanted children of her own, she just wanted to keep dancing, and what better husband than one who would never touch her? - and then, people thought all men like me were pedophiles. So the rumor mill drudged up old muck and added your name to the mix. I couldn’t let your reputation tank.” He heaves another sigh, because he can’t keep much air in his lungs these days. “So we divorced. We made it out to be that I was having an affair with another woman, and she left me to sell the lie. We have always stayed friends, though. She’s managed to clean up every mess I had created.

“You are lucky you were born when you were, not even old enough to compete when the iron curtain fell. With it, a world of possibilities. I saw that what had been an uphill battle for me could be an asset for you. And look where you are now, Vitya,” Yakov smiles, all wrinkles and pride. “Yuuri is a gem. Polish him well, and he will shine for you forever.”

There is a moment of easy silence between the two of them, despite the low hum of activity in the cafe where they sit. A waitress bustles over and tops off both of their cups before retreating to the counter. Viktor wipes some chocolate from his upper lip, only just realizing the evidence of the donut he’d eaten five minutes ago, and his father figure laughs a deep, heartfelt belly laugh.

“I’m also glad that you took my advice literally,” adds Yakov, a playful lilt to his voice. “You never did look good with facial hair. It would have killed your career faster than I could have saved it.”

**Author's Note:**

> The death of Debbie Reynolds rattled me hard. She was known for many things, but she was known to the LGBT community as a fierce ally before it was the cool thing to do - she was a beard to many gay men in Hollywood looking to hide their sexuality so that their careers wouldn't suffer. The thought occurred to me that Lilia may have been the same to Yakov, given that we don't know much about their marriage. But it makes sense to me, so I wrote it out.


End file.
